Don't Pity The Beast
by Flora of the Wind
Summary: Centered in the claymore universe. This story follows one of the many claymores of an age earlier than the manga/anime. This story follows through the Organization's "School" and later adventures.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I tried to stay away from too much of the current Claymore storyline since it is in progress, and many things are still unknown or likely to change. So I created original characters, sorry if you don't like that.

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Leorina's Journel:

March 12 Year 1

Searching through this room, I found some paper, and ink in the water closet. So I decided to keep a journel, to try and help me get through this rough time.

I can't really think what I'm suppose to put down in this.

What do I do? Nothing, all day I just sit in my bed, occasionally stumble around the room, and try to ignore the pain, ignore the feelings, maybe I'll get use to them, maybe not.

Maybe, I should write about how I got here? That's easy, kind of. I was the second daughter to a bankrupted store, family. Me and my Sis spent all our time together since we weren't allowed outside, and since my big sis learned how to read and write early, she was teaching me early as well. We were huddled together in front of the window, the sun about down, we always huddled together as of late, trying to protect ourselves from... well our Father, he was... rough, for months now. Mother never tried to do anything about Father. That was why Sis taught me to read, she said it can take you places.

We didn't know when it happened at the time. Though I look back I believe it's when he became rough. It happened so fast really. SIs and I were learning some fo the larger words on the floor by the window, with twilight aproaching, when we heard our Mother scream. We cowered together and Sis wraped her arm around my head and pulled me close and droned on with the words. I tried to listen to Sis, I really did, but something seemed... Wrong. Mother, that was it, She wasn't screaming any more; did Father stop? No, he never stopped once he started. So what happened. *Thump, thump, thump*, coming down the hallway. Oh no. I thought, Father was coming, but his steps seemed heavier, was he carrying Mother? There was a whimper in Sis's voice now, her whole body shaking in fear of Father. I was shaking too, Father has been worse lately, and something was wrong, first Mother's scream, and now the foot steps. I looked up as the door opened, what I saw scared me more than if Father was standing there, with "that" grin. One word would only come up in my mind. Yoma.

I still can't remember much after that. The doctor said that was normal though. I remember my Sister's screams, a crash, and a lot of blood, unhuman bluish blood everywhere. Later when I woke up, in a totally different first thing I did was ask the man who was checking over me where my sister was, once I could remember how to speak. He looked gravely at me and leaned his head to a door. I when I asked about my Mother, he simply shook his head. So I stumbled up and moved to the door. When I opened the door, and I looked in on my Sis. I couldn't stop the shaking, or the tears. The sight was... terrible. My Sister, who loved the world that books could bring, would never hold a book again. Both of her arms... destroyed. Her right arm had a stump of bone about the size of my hand jutting out, with ripped muscle, and torn skin hanging off, her left arm looked to have been ripped out, and when I moved closer I noticed her right leg was as well. "No," I remember crying. "It's all a dream, just a bad nightmare." I stumbled close, stretching out my hands to my Sister. I put one hand on the stump of her should, not caring it was being soaked in blood, and the other on her stomach, there was something strange there. Fearful, and trembling, slowly I moved the shreds of her dress out of the way. Through the tears already pouring, and the fear of knowing, I saw her ripped skin pulled taut over what remained of her stomach. Heaving everything I had in me, I doubled over next to her.

"She'll die soon, though at this point I'd say it's a blessing." Wiping off my mouth, I turned my head to see the man at the door. "You best be on your way as soon as you can too. Folks'll be after you for being a yoma soon enough." He turned and walked away. Standing back up, I put my hands on her head, then I stared crying everything I had left in me; on her.

She died an hour later at noon, with the sun shining, and the birds singing. I'm sure she would have wanted that.

That night I was forced out into the street. Then the street (mob) forced me out into... well, out of the village. At this point I was too emotionally and physically tired to care. The Man in Black came as I sat against a tree.

"Little girl." He said to me as he came closer. "Your family was attacked by a yoma. Correct?"

I looked at him tiredly. Not knowing what my answer may bring.

He put his hand on my shoulder, images of Father flashed into my mind. "Well then, you stay here, and I will be back soon enough."

[Where else would I go,] I wondered. [Not like I have a family anymore, I never really saw Mother as of late. And Sis was... was...] at that point I started crying again, though I felt exhausted. **He** came back after I was done crying.

"Let's go." He said without even stopping, sure that I would follow.

Well, as far as I could see, I didn't have much of a choice. I followed.

That night was quick, I fell asleep without even eating, and I stayed that way until He woke me up. We ate. Then I followed a gruling pace.

The second night wasn't as quick, the events of the night two days ago caught up with me again, I lost my Mother. Though that didn't bother me as much, as the fact I lost my Sister. For as long as I could remember she was always there, and when father became... rough, she always comforted me and told me of farway places, with happy endings. She would comb my hair with her fingers, and we would act like sister princesses to a royal family somewhere... somewhere other than there. After remembering that, then the remains of my sister, I heaved what was in my stomach, and set back down. I tried to eat, but I wasn't hungry.

The third night we made it to the biggest building I ever seen. The few times I was alowed outside, in the village, I never seen a building so big. The Man in Black strolled right on in, almost as if he was the owned it.

I followed him in of course, and through the maze of corridors, and passages. Through the rooms, and the halls, this place was even bigger inside! He led me to a steel door, rapped three times on it and left. I almost followed, but I felt I should stay. A big burly man opened the door, looked at me briefly, then pointed inside to a raised bed.

"Lay down, and be still." The man said gruffly. My Father flashed through my head: ["BE QUIET I SAID!" SMACK, he hit me hard on the head.]

"How old are you?" The burly man said.

With the vision still fresh, being alone in a room with someone else, and the recent trama. It was too much, my vision suddenly darkened, the room started spinning, and I suddenly fell asleep.

When I woke up, I didn't move anything, not even my eyelids. I don't know why but it seemed a good idea to feign sleeping. That's when I heard **them** come in.

"So she's the new one?" a chipped male voice was heard above my head.

"She's one of the smallest yet." a deep masculine voice cut in.

"I heard she fainted." This one was a woman, she sounded... cruel. It reminded her of Father.

"Some do, the situation overwhelms them, and it becomes too much to handle." the chipped voice said.

The woman scoffed "What I want to know, is whether we wait for her to wake or not, and how much to we put in. Not child psychology."

The chipped voice was next after a few second pause. "The boss said to give it to her when she wakes up, and to make it slightly heavier, just enough to tell if mental adaptivity to it in the earlier stages of childhood development make a difference in anything."

"Well," the deep voice said, and I felt a hand shaking my shoulder. "She wakes up, and we get to go to work."

Taking my que, I acted as if I just woke up, I opened my eyes and tried to put the voices to the faces I was seeing. It was mostly easy. The woman was as tall as most women I've seen. She had wrinkles on her face and her dark hair pulled back. The chipped voice probly belonged to the man with a slight hunch, and squinty eyes. The deep voice left a man taller than most people, he had sqare shoulders, and dark eyes. Though he seemed more creepy than the other two put together.

They told me to take a pill, it was smaller than the ones Sis gave me when the pain was bad. Since all three was staring at me like I owed them something, I quickly took it, and before I had a chance to think about what they said, and what it meant. I was back to sleep.

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A/N: Well this is the base of the story, let me know if you like it, or if you don't. I don't really want to write a story no one will read.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own anything related to Claymore, I forgot to metion that the first time around, so don't sue me.

A/N: Sorry this took a while to put up. I didn't think anyone liked it. So I didn't post anymore, what's an author without fans?

Also, if there are any incorrect grammer or mispelled words. Take it as the fact it's suppose to be a journel.

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Leorina's Journel:

March 12 Year 1 (continuation)

Pain. Excruciating pain. I haven't even opened my eyes yet, and I was in pain. My lungs, why did it hurt so much to breathe? My heart, a carpenters hammer would have felt less intense. It was so much, too much again, I passed out.

When I woke up again, I laid there. I didn't know how much time has pasted, though that seemed to not matter. Once I could ignore the pain, like I did Father's, it wasn't so bad. My body seemed different though, that's what really scared me. Laying there, deep in my thoughts, I wondered what happened to myself. Slowly, gritting through the pain, I opened my eyes. The first thing I noticed was the very large room had a gloomy look to it, and felt dank. Mostly though, all I saw was the ceiling. I tried to move my eyes, but the darkness around my vision creeped back out, threating to take me back again. I closed my eyes, and went back to sleep.

It really isn't so bad. Laying here, you either get use to the pain, or it goes away. I don't know which one happens. I got so I could raise my arms a bit, though even the smallest movements cause great pain, and I even could turn my head, though it brought dizzyness. The first time I looked somewhere other than the ceiling, it was to my right, where I heard muffled whimpers, that's what did it really, curiousity. There was another girl laying in the bed, not moving anything she could help. Her hair was short and blond, she looked a few years older than me. I tried to talk to her, I opened my mouth and tried to move my tongue all at once, and I blacked out again.

When I woke back up, I noticed white fringes on the sides of my vision. What was it? I moved my head a little to try and shake it into a better view, what I saw amazed and frightened me. Hair, my hair, and it's white, pure white. I started to panic. [What happened to my hair?] [What happened to me?] [Where am I] in the midst of the panic it hit me... Claymore

I've heard terrifying stories of Claymores. Women who have sold thier bodies for a greater power. Women who are no longer human. Women, who are death walking.

The panic inside of me started to rise, and soon I could no longer control it. [Why? Why the pain? Why am I suffering? Why did they choose me to turn into a Claymore? What did I ever do to them? I always tried to do what I was told. Mother's strange commands. Fathers orders. Never once did I not do what I was told, even though I... I never wanted to. So why me?] Hugging my sides, the pain quickly returning, only added to my panic. I rolled over in attempt to dispel some of the pain, or panic. When the pain let up enough, and I opened my eyes. I saw the girl in the bed next to mine. She looked like she was in much worse pain than mine. Yet she never moved. The only sign of life was her chest, shakingly breathing. Staring at her, I remember that I knew at least who put us here, in this pain. When I look back at that. It's strange. I remember wanting to ... hurt... everyone in this "Organization," but I forgot what my chances of survival was without them. Being a child, in the woods, with no where to go. Sometimes I still wonder, were my chances of survival out there so dim, that it was worth living. In **here**.

After that it's all history as they say, I learned better ways to ignore the pain, boredom eventually beat out pain, and I began working on a using single muscle sometimes for days before I got it completly under control without pain. Always after I did I felt something strange. As if I had a new muscle now, not the one I trained to move again, but one sort of "underneath' it. I didn't know how to move this muscle, and made me cautious. So I never tried to use those, besides I had other muscles to work on.

When I was finally able to sit up, I felt like I could own the world when I did that simple maneuveur! I was so cheerful, and in my own little world, that I didn't even hear the food cart being brought in. When I heard the door close, I looked in it's direction, when I saw it by my bed. Food... FOOD!!! [When was the last time I ate?] I wondered [Who cares! Dig in!] I didn't even realize how hungry I was until I started eating, then I couldn't stop. "Ahhh," I sighed when I finished, then I mentally counted up the meat pies, the vegetables, and everything else I ate. I was astounded, it was more than me and ... Sis ate in an entire week.

"Good is it?" I heard my Sister's voice to my right. I looked over slowly. I first noticed the girl lying in bed appeared asleep, and the voice's owner was sitting next to her, blond hair, and those glowing silver... silver eyes, wearing a white outfit. She wasn't my Sister. I nodded my reply to her. She smiled and rubbed her stomach. "Yeah, I remember the first time I ate too." She got up and walked over to my bedside. "Wow," she mumbled, "They get younger and younger." I could help but think of my ... Sis when the stranger talked, they looked the same age, and even the same height, and they sounded so much alike, that... that... and I started to cry again... "Hey, hey" she put her arm around my neck, just like Sis. "Don't cry, I'm not gonna hurt you." She sounded very confused, like she lost track of the situation. The food, the emotion, and the memories once again it all caught back up to me, and I blacked out.

That was all a week ago, now, me and Lysa (the girl who tried to help me) are good friends, and she's even helped me walk around some now. I often stumble around the room, getting my bearings back. It was then that I stumbled into the water closet and found this. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to go out. Lysa is the only one who I've seen go in or out. She comes in and comforts Ren, who still hasn't even made it out of bed yet.

"Is it normal to be in bed that long?" I asked Lysa about Ren one day.

Lysa looked over at Ren and shrugged. "I don't know, some people get out of bed in a few day's and other's it takes months."

Impressed by her knowledge of recovery and recooperation, I asked how she learned it all.

"Well, I've been here for about 4 months now, I was one of those out of bed in a few days, so I had plenty of time to observe other people." She moved her hand in a gesture around the room. "**They** always put the new ones in a two bed room, and just let them be for a while."

Not asking who **They** were, I went on with my questions "How long have Ren and I been here?" I asked, curious of my captivity, and I passed out so much from pain, and sort; that I lost count.

"You've been here about a little more than a month and a half now, I don't know when Ren came here, she's been here since I wandered in here and found this room. Though... Something is strange, because Ren and I came from the same town, so mabe the yoma came back, or ..." She sat down, looking up as if to remember something. Her eyes got bigger the longer she sat there. Slightly paniced at her silence, and wide eyed look, I put my hand on her shoulder and started shaking.

"What is it? What's wrong?" fearful of losing my only friend. I started shaking harder.

"Stop that." Her eyes came back down, and she didn't look as bewildered. She looked grave. "She must have been here as long as I have, and I just remembered, no one has ever made it out of bed if they at least didn't sit up in a month."

I closed my eyes, thankful that I made it out of bed already. "What happends if they don't make it out of bed." I asked

She shook her head. It was obvious she didn't want to say.

June 30 year 1

I finally had my old flexability, back; which, wasn't much. Not much has happened in the 3 months or so since I last made entry. They took Ren away, and I haven't seen her since my two month mark. They came in when I was asleep and took her away; and since I didn't know what to do, but not one to sit around unless I had a book, I started up a sort of schedule. Every morning the first thing I do it stretch, to try to extend my flexability. At first, I of course, passed out mutiple time. Everytime a muscle was moved too fast, or skin stretched a bit too far, lights would pop in my head and I would black out. After stretching, I run as fast as I can from corner to corner. This too, at first had me blacking out at a given chance. Lysa came in once on me and tried to give me pointers, and other exercises to do telling me most people started to exercise again after... The blond also mention that some of the others get restless and "play games" as well. She tried to invite me to meet them, but I didn't really want to leave the safety of the room.

There was also a secret I didn't want known. When I would exercise to the point where my muscles were exhausted, and I knew I wouldn't black out. When I had to give every bit of strength to make it back to bed. It felt good, not just figured-out-a-new-word good, but sweet good. What scared me about that, and why I kept it as a secret, even from my only friend, was that the "underneath" muscles seemed to be doing the moving then, and that scared me.

I noticed at this point, laying down exhausted, that it didn't hurt to move anymore, or do anything really. As I laid in bed writing this, I began to think. [Now what, I can move again, thats good. But what now.] I looked up at the ceiling, [There's nothing to do here, nothing at all.] I began to think of why I was even here, and how long [almost 5 MONTHS! That's FOREVER! What am I doing here again, I seem to have forgot.] I rolled my head over and saw the head dangle on my nose. [Claymore, that's right. How could I forget, I must never forget again what I'm doing here. This isn't a game. I might not have walked up to thier doorstep, but when they took me in I didn't hesitate too much.] I rolled back over trying to find a good spot. [So what now then, am I just gonna rot in here until they say I can go?] I tried to move the pillow further under neck. [Tomorrow, tomorrow I'll ask Lysa what to do, and we'll go from there. Yes, that sounds good.] Now that I had a good plan, I seemed to found the right spot. Good night.

July 1 year 1

"Hey Lysa?" I asked when I heard the door open, I was a bit busy doing an exercise, and couldn't see right away.

"Yeah, it's me." Lysa replied

"What do we, uhhh, do now?" I asked stretching out the exercise a bit further.

She looked at me in surprise. "Now?"

"Yeah" I replied "Remember, we're gonna be Claymore whether we like it or not. So I was wondering what will happen to us next." She seemed to think on this a while. "I don't know, but I do know someone who can tell us."

"Who" I asked, curious of who else she could know that knows more than her.

"Bridgette, she's been here even longer than I have, by THREE YEARS!"

"Wow." I said amazed three years of living here, could I stand up to that? I wasn't sure I could, Three years was even longer than forever. I better get use to this room.

"Yeah," Lysa said proud of herself, she dropped the glee quickly though. "One problem, however. She's a upper classman."

"Upperclassman?" I asked confused.

"Yeah, you didn't think they was training just us do you? There's a bunch of Claymore in training all over." Her face suddenly kept getting more and more frightful as she went on. "But we're not allowed to talk to them. If we do talk to them. They can decide to punish us, and the punishment. " Her face hit rock bottom terrified, as if seeing her worst nightmare come true. Just as I was about to shake her from her whatever was terrifying her. She suddenly looked gleeful again "But Bridgette will help us, she feels that we should ban together, not seperate ourselves like that, AND she won't hurt us for asking her questions."

I was slightly amazed at my friend, and slightly scared for her too. How many doors did she open to get this knowledge. and how many upperclassman did she meet before meeting Bridgette.

July 2 year 1

I woke up today to Lysa shaking my leg.

"Hey." She said in a hushed tone, even though no one else was in the room. "Wake up already."

I swatted her hand away, and sat up. "What time is it?" I asked, it felt like I just went to sleep. My muscles were still tired from the exercises that I did what seemed just a few minutes ago. "'Bout time." She said relieved, and started rubbing her tired arm muscle. "It's a few hours before daybreak. It's easier to get around the upperclassmen, when they are in their rooms."

I nodded my head in that it made good sense, and to sweep away the fog of sleep. "Most likely doing the sensable thing, and sleeping." I said getting up, and doing some light stretching.

Since Lysa was use to my schedule, she sat down on my bed to wait. "Well, not sleeping," She said. "They don't sleep as often as we do. As I said before, they're alot older than us, and don't seem to need sleep or food as often as we do." She stood back up again, yawning. "But, they do go to thier rooms during night hours to relax, so we should be able to get around them."

I turned and started another stretch. "I thought we only get in trouble if we talk to them." I said questioningly.

"That's true," Lysa said, with slight horror in her voice. "But if we're seen, we get bullied, and if they get caught bullying us we're automatically punished for being out of our 'assigned' area. AND if a teacher comes around we can be called a distraction, and then get pushed by both of them."

Again I was amazed at my friends knowledge. I stood up, walked to the door, and a wave of intense excitement started shaking throughout my entire body, I felt I was barely able to visably contain it. After closely examining my hand to see the slight trembling. I turned to Lysa hoping she didn't see the slight shaking and take it as fear. "Let's see; what we're really into." I muttered, forgeting to add sarcasm to my voice.

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Thank you very much, for those who followed along. Please let me know if you liked it.


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own Claymore, that's why this is fanfiction

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Leorina's Journal

July 2 Year 1

I was glad Lysa knew where we was going. I was lost so quick, that from the excitement of being out of the room, and the thrill of being caught, that three turns in we could have been in a different country for all I knew.

After what seemed a few hours of travel at a nice quick pace, I felt I had to ask. "Lysa. Did you get lost? Do you even know where you are?" I whispered, in case we were close, and since she stopped talking a while ago. As we approached a corner; she stopped **very** quckly. Unexpecting I bumped into her, knocking us both over. "Some warning next time please." I said not so hushedly, even more excited that something was happening, and forgetting the possible dangers talking loudly. "Why'd you stop anywa..." I was quickly interupted by her hand brought down hard on my mouth.

She leaned close her face pale, and whispered into my ear, "Quiet, we're close to the upperclassmen's bunks." She stood up, got against the wall, and leaned just enough for her eyes to see into the hall. She came back and helped me up. "Sorry, for being rude." she said quietly her face changing between emotions as quick as a leaf flips. "But I've had to do some things I'm not very proud of because **my feet **made too much noise. Think of what talking would do." She put her index finger to my forhead, to emphsize the word think. She leaned back against the wall, and looked slowly around the corner. She pulled away and came back. "Quiet now, and walk on your toes." Her head moved up a few centimeters, and then she slowly went around the corner. Using her example, I followed.

Things didn't get too bad until we made it to the bunk halls. Everytime we heard a door creak, or see a shadow flash on the wall, we hid ourselves around the nearest corner, and waited. Only once did someone pass by, a old toothless man with a ring of wiry hair around his head. Muttering to himself about some "crazy bird" or another. Finally, we came to another abrupt halt at a rather ordinary door. I looked around trying to see how she knew this door different from all the others. Comparing many, and finding no solution, I looked back at my friend to find her with both hands open, with fingers closing, and opening seemingly at random. Only after looking at up at her face did I realize she was counting. I moved closer to her and whispered as low as I could.

"What are you counting for?" I leaned back to see whether or not she would reply.

Continuing her counting, she looked up at the ceiling, as if for answers, then nodding her head in agreement with someone invisible. Feeling that my friend was losing it, I brought a confused look out onto my face. Lysa looked back down, and leaned towards my ear.

"I was trying to remember the code to knock. You didn't think we could barge right on in there did you?" She asked me, as hushed as I was.

I looked back at her my confusion only mounting. She could remember the ardous path here, and even which uncharateristic door. But had trouble remembering the code... I shook my head to get rid of the useless thoughts, and to bring my attention to the present. Lysa was leaning towards the door with one hand up high on the door, and one hand down low.

*Knock, tap, Knock* she hit with her lower left hand. "Tap, tap, Knock." the door sounded with her higher. This noise being louder than any we made in a while had me on full lookout. Minutes passed, we we're just standing there, like lumps on the wall. Fear started growning inside my stomach. [What if this is the wrong door, what if someone is coming.] My thoughts were interupted as I was sure I heard the old man coming back, turning around I was surprised to feel myself pulled in the opposite direction.

The first thought I had, after entering the dimly lit room, was [Please don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me.] Lysa still hasn't told me what they made her do, but the looks she kept on giving me when I asked, told me to forget the matter altogether.

"'Ell, 'ell. Ef 'sn't 'iss dittle 'urious Dysa." When my eyes adjusted to the room. I saw the voice came from a rather tall, short cropped blond haired, teenager with a posture cut out for a executioner, and it sounded like the brains too. "Who's 'ore 'ew 'riend 'ysa?"

Lysa moved to look around the hulking figure in front of us, while keeping her feet in place, when she seemed done scanning she moved back to normal. "Hi Meril. Where's Bridgette?"

Meril's gaze intensified on Lysa until Lysa bent under her gaze. Meril gave a slight smirk. "Don't 'et uppity 'it 'e. Reember 'ere 'ore en hour 'erritory." Meril leaned back a little, and folded her arms together infront of her chest.

"Sorry, Ms. Meril. Would you be kind enought to tell me where Bridgette is?" Lysa said with her head slightly bowed forward.

Meril, having a great amount of pleasure if you judge her by her face, brought her hands up by her head, palms up, raised her shoulders, and tilted her head sideways a bit. "Sometin 'bout 'sum-ore 'raining." I couldn't help but blink a few times to try and help my brain digest this particular method of talking.

Lysa leaned forward again, "Thank you Ms. Meril. Would you happen to know when she would be back?" Asked the shorter blond of the two. As polite as I've ever seen her.

Meril looked at her like she was a spotty grease bucket. "'Eah, 'shey beh 'ack 'horty." Meril looked around the plain two bed room, her face broke a bit. "Ew 'an 'it on 'er bed. ill shey geh 'ack." Meril turned away without waiting for a reply and left into the water closet.

Lysa, walked quite slowly, and lightly over to the bed, apparently the time for sneakiness wasn't over. Taking her que I followed lightly. When we sat down on the bed, I looked around a bit better than the first glance. It was dark, like everywhere else down here; but it was big, you could fit in maybe 20 beds. After a brieft moment, I felt I was obligated by my curious side to ask. "What's going on, why's she so big, and what's with her attitude?" I asked with the sternest look I could pull off. Thinking of the grime of this place seem to do that quite well.

She leaned over next to me, and answered in a light voice. "Meril don't quite agree with Bridgette about the talking-to-lower-classman stance, she usually has an attitude about it. Though she most likely has an attitude about everything. So, she "has to go" to the water closet for the duration." Lysa leaned back, seeming proud of herself for having assessed this situation already.

Something about it didn't seem right though, why would she hide? So I asked my more experienced friend this.

"Well, I don't quite understand the rules myself, but I'd have to say that us being in their room is a bad thing; and she doesn't want to get played in on it." Whispered my resourceful companion. Then she went on. "Before you ask, **don't** ask about her accent, she'll hurt you. I think it has to do with the region she's from. Most likely known for lack of education." Lysa had her finger to her head, and nodded slightly, as if agreeing with something someone else said.

I laid back on the bed, letting this process. Meril, didn't want us there, so she went to the water closet. Lysa still acted like we had to hide, and I had half a barrel of questions to ask.

Lysa laid back next to me, our feet still hanging off the bed. If I closed my eyes, it was almost like being back at my room. My lonely room, without Lysa, now that Ren's gone. Well, it was lonely with her in it, since she didn't move. Laying there wondering what happened to Ren, and what will happen to me and Lysa, time was quickly passing. When I figured out the first question I wanted to ask, and almost was impatient enough to ask Lysa. The door creeked open.

The light coming into the room made it hard to see at first, there was only one candle lit in the room. A shaded presence started to fill the doorway. Slowly, making each move count, inching inwards to the room. Somehow, I was already on the floor opposite of the door to the bed, with Lysa right next to me. With my head sticking out, I saw the figure moving inside (now I could hear slight moans and grunts) towards the bed, shutting the door behind her.

"Bridgette?" Lysa asked in her regular voice.

The figure turned around quickly and stumbled back, almost reminding me of a scared rabbit.

"Oh no." Lysa murmured, moving closer to her.

Bridgette, now in the light of the candle, was a sight I haven't seen in a while. Her face was bruised, her arms were irregularly swollen in odd places. The uniform was torn to shreds. Legs were quivering as if holding up a great weight. I knew this sight, I've seen it before; on my sister, mother, and myself. My eyes widened in empathy of my new friend, bonded by pain. As Lysa and I moved closer to see if we could help her pain. I noticed her hair was darker than Lysa's or the short crop of Meril. Still lighter than normal people's hair, it was dark compared to everyone elses; and I knew from what Lysa told me. That down here, dark hair was equal to coming up short, being weak, stupid, or handicapped. I'll explain that conversation later.

The hesitation in my step from noticing her hair allowed Lysa to get there first; and and start moving Bridgette to the bed. My panic made my mind rush through thoughts quicker than I could understand them. My body started to move on it's own towards the pair.

Bridgette's shock at seeing us calmed after noticing Lysa. As I walked into the light of the candle, and became noticable; Bridgette started to tense up again, and her eyes took on a hardness beyond her years.

"What happened?" Lysa asked, once the older girl was lying in the bed.

Bridgette moved around to where she was holding the worst spots, trying to ease the pain. She stared at me, squinting her eyes. Whether to see in the candle, or ... I'm not sure. Her eyes moved back to Lysa, softening only a little. "No more." Her voice sounded raspy, as if she never drank water before. "I told you, don't come here anymore. Did you forget what happened last time we were caught?" She started choking near the end. As if every word was torture, and every breathe agony.

My curiousity overriding my wits at the moment, caused me to burst out in questions about her. "What happened to you?" I asked, not even close to the hushed sound of my friend. "Why are your clothes ripped up, soaked with blood even, but you have no open wounds?" I moved closer to her, "What is the Organization, what's happening to all of us?" after a few more question, they started to run together and even I couldn't make much sense of it all.

What happened next, amazes me still.

Bridgette sat there, through my questions, not trying to answer or stop me once. When I finished with them all, she sat up in her bed, very slowly. Never once did she look away from my face. Minutes it felt like, she just sat there. Staring with silver eyes. The candle, now running low, was flickering from a unfelt wind. As I was about to start again, she closed her eyes.

Bridgette moved her hands over her stomach, and her breathe started to get heavy and ragged.

I nudged Lysa, and nodded towards the wounded person on the bed. Hoping to show silently my question for what was going on. Lysa shook her head and shruged her shoulders. I looked back at Bridgette.

Still she was breathing hard and heavy. When her breathing seemed to get no worse; it stopped. Her head snapped back, and her eyes flashed opened. A bright golden glow flowing out of them. Her mid-back length hair, floated as if from a slight breeze from below. The candle light flickering even more in the silence. To me, it felt like I was caught in a strange-feeling whirlwind. As I focused on Bridgette, her body became ... bigger. Veins started to rise throughout her body, and even though she didn't make a noise, it felt like a storm was right in front of me; a pressure of amazing amounts. Her body stretched out, started to gather a glow. The face started to gather veins, her mouth stretched wide, and showed sharp teeth. Then, as suddenly as she started, she stopped.

It wasn't until she stopped that I noticed the candle was out. I grabbed out where Lysa was last, to try and keep from too much confusion. A hand hit mine, and we grabbed ahold of one another. Moments later there was a shuffle, and movement on the opposite side of the bed. The sound of a drawer opening, and a minute or so later; a new candle was lit, along with a freshly dressed Bridgette, sporting a half smile.

"Please excuse my ealier statements. I was quite..." She left off and smiled, showing she wished to end the subject. She then stood erect and slid her feet together; bending her right arm over her stomach, and the left arm across her back, she bent over at the waist till her back was flat. Rising up, she moved her hand over her heart, and started to speak.

"My name is Bridgette Runoa, daughter of Auguste and Hena. Count and Countess, both artist and sculpters." A vague smile flashed on her face.

I was simply amazed. She acted like the bizarre events of a few minutes ago never happened. "Amazing." I said in amazement, at the bloodline and the ... whatever that was.

Bridgette gave a soft smile. "Not that it matters here." She muttered, turning her head to the bed and started to fix the sheets.

I turned to my blond friend and a put a confused look on my face, to show it needed explaining.

"Everyone here," Lysa started, with a sad voice. "Has lost their family. With no exception. When you leave here, past titles no longer have effect." She was facing the floor, trying to hide the pain she felt for her loss.

Unthinking, I blurted out. "Why?"

Lysa looked back up at me, eyes wide open, tears starting to form up from a wound recently opened. "Why?!" Her voice started to rise. "Why?! What person do you know that would go through **that** pain." She brought her hands up. "What person would even want to be here, in this..." She stomped on the floor, to show what she thought of our way of living. "If you have a family the Organization isn't interested in you. If you have ties of any kind, the Organization doesn't want you. All the Organization wants is experimental animals. You even told me yourself, that it sounded to you like they change things in every experiment. Just by looking around you can find proof. **IF **you go outside your room." Lysa's body started shaking violently, I could tell that she was just bursting out at me about something that had no connection, most likely about her family. "Then, when we leave here, to protect **humans**. We are scorned by them, they don't care that we didn't have a choice, they don't care that we lost our humanity agaist our will, that we are **children** when it all happens." Lysa's voice was short of a yell.

I reached out to comfort my friend. To find Bridgette's arms already there. Bridgette whispered into Lysa's ear, then looked up at me.

"Please note that what she says is true, but do not take the outburst personally. The trama of her life has been building up, and she just happened to burst on a simple question. I will..." Bridgette left off after someone started to knock on the door.

"Quickly," Bridgette said hushedly, handing me a tired Lysa. "Against the wall behind the door." Her hand flashed toward the candle, causing the candle to blow out.

Going by memory I moved towards the wall, hugging Lysa close. As I reached it, Bridgette opened the door.

"Yes?" Bridgette answered, still amazing polite.

"We have reports of a outburst of Yoki, and someone yelling. Both coming from this room." A deep rough voice sounded out.

"I am very sorry. I was... recovering." The dark blond hesitated.

"Keep it down next time." The voice sounded out rudely.

"Yes sir, thank you very much." Bridgette said, closing the door.

Lysa stood up straight, and whispered out loud. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean anything rude."

Bridgette lit the candle up in time for me to see Lysa return from nodding her head in apology.

"May I ask," Bridgette started softly. "Why risk coming here. What do you have to ask now?"

Lysa spoke up. "We came to ask what happens next, though now I have a few question myself."

Bridgette smiled softly. "Next..." She seemed to think on it. "Next the Organization groups you in years by how well you perform. Then you move on through the years by how quick you progress, not by actually years. As such, I've been here for six years, but I'm only in the third year. Meril arrived here when I did, but she is in the 7th year."

Lysa looked at me with an apologetic face. "I'm sorry, even though she told me this before. I though she meant she's been here three years more than me."

Bridgette continued. "When they think your prepared, you will take a test. If you pass you join the ranks according to how well you did. No one lives if they fail. There are 10 years in all."

I spoke up. "When do we perform for the Organization?"

"Typically, the first day of fall."

"What happened to Ren?"

"Who?"

"Her bunk mate." Lysa cleared up. Interested in the answer more than I.

"Ren," Bridgette said slowly. "Is most likely dead.'

I figured as much, so there wasn't much shock.

"Wait," I said unnessisarily "When you came in, and did that... thing. What was that?"

Bridgette seemed hesitant to answer, looking around instead. "Well, it's Yoki." She mumbled. "When **they** 'experimented' on us. As you've seemed to put it. The side effects are much more than colorless hair, and silver eyes. They bind each of your muscles with a **Yoma**'s muscles. As you use them, you'll start to feel a pull. Others say they feel a push. Everyone agrees though that a flood flows throughout your system, empowering every muscle, every moment. Though also like a flood the stronger the flow, the harder it is to stop it. You'll come to notice that there are no male Comrades. Recently **they** stopped 'experimenting' with them due to their inability to resist the pull. The teacher will tell you this again, please act as you would normally. If anyone found out that I told you this information. More than pushiment would follow. However this power can be used for more than just strength. It can heal wounds that would kill normal humans, re-attach severed limbs, it's uses are endless. The use of it though, affects your mind, and your body."

By the time Bridgette finished explaining her answer, the candle had run down to nub. Lysa moved next to Bridgette, which looked only slightly strange due to Bridgette having a few more years of growth.

"Thank you." Lysa said, with a smile on her face.

I took the hint, and gave Bridgette my thanks as well. She nodded her reply as I made my way to the door.

The way back was quick and simple, though I still had no idea where I was going. It didn't help my mind was still spinning from the conversation ealier. I couldn't help but feel anticipation towards the future. I know it sounds strange, but I decided while laying in that bed. My future in this place won't change. The only thing I can do is embrace it, and run towards the goal. So that kind of power... I started to shake again, moving towards Lysa. A grin broke out on my face. This might be fun yet.

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A/N: Well, this chapter has good parts, and bad parts. Bad seems to outnumber the good. On a side note, I feel I should tell you by now that this is a group project. So sorry if it seems to jump around, or if the writing style is different. Please review of course.


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